PM ASSURES PNG OF STATES CAREFUL HANDLING OF CHIEF JUSTICE’S REFERRAL

The Chief Justice of Papua New Guinea has been referred again, this time by the Ombudsman Commission to the National Executive Council (NEC) and the prime minister has come out to give his assurance to the nation that the State will tread very carefully with this matter.

Prime Minister James Marape in a statement released today, assured the nation that the Government will approach the Ombudsman Commission’s referral involving Chief Justice Sir Gibbs Salika with the utmost care, diligence, and full respect for the Constitution and the independence of the Judiciary.

The Prime Minister’s comments follow the Ombudsman Commission’s announcement on Monday, 11 May, that it had invoked its reserve powers under Section 29(2) of the Constitution and Section 27(3) of the Organic Law on the Duties and Responsibilities of Leadership to refer the Chief Justice to the National Executive Council (NEC) for consideration of the appointment of a Leadership Tribunal.

Prime Minister Marape said the Government fully respects the constitutional mandates of both the Ombudsman Commission and the Public Prosecutor.

“The Ombudsman Commission and the Public Prosecutor are independent constitutional offices, and their work must be respected,” Prime Minister Marape said.

“This is not a light matter. The Office of the Chief Justice is one of the highest constitutional offices in our country, equal in standing to the Office of the Prime Minister and the Office of the Speaker as heads of the three arms of government.”

Prime Minister Marape also confirmed that the Office of the Prime Minister, in the presence of the Chief Secretary, had formally received the referral documents from the Ombudsman Commission.

Following this, the Government would now seek detailed legal advice from the State Solicitor and other relevant authorities before determining the next steps.

Marape said the Government would carefully examine whether the NEC had the constitutional standing and authority to proceed with such a matter involving the Chief Justice under Section 179 of the Constitution.

“As Prime Minister, I will not rush this process or make premature conclusions,” he said.

“The Chief Justice remains at work and this matter must be handled fairly, respectfully, and with due care because the integrity of our constitutional institutions and the reputation of our country are involved.”

The prime minister also urged the public to avoid unnecessary speculation and commentary while proper legal processes were underway.